Banjo attachment.



No. 871,158- 7 PATENTED NOV. 19, 1907.

B. J. BABBITT.

BANJO ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED HAY 28, 1906.

/ Ill- W/T/VESSES lNVE/VTOH ELWIN J.BABBITT Wad/Maw M A TTORNEYS less.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

ELWIN J. BABBITT, OF PETOSKEY, MICHIGAN.

BANJO ATTACHMENT.

N 0. 871,158. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Nov. 19, 1907.

Application filed May 29v 1906- Serial No. 319.245.

T all whom it may concern: I stood upon reference to Fig. 3 of my draw-Be it known that I, ELWIN J. BABBITT, a 1 ing.

citizen of the United States, and a resident of Petoskey, in the countyof Emmet and State of Michigan, have invented a new and Improved BanjoAttachment, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates, generally speaking, to banjos, and specifically toan attachment whereby additional strings may be employed on the banjo,adapting the instrument to greater range in the combination of harmony,than possible with the ordinary, or five string banjo.

The invention resides in the peculiar and novel attachment shown by theaccompanying drawing, and hereinafter described in detail, the novelfeatures being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawingFigure 1 is a top plan view of a banjo, with my attachmentshown applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged edge away detail horizontalsectional View, taken at the point 3 3, through the banjo neck,

4 is a transverse sectional view, taken on line 44 of Fig. 1. combinedplan and sectional view of the upper portion of myattachment, thesection being taken on line 5-5, of Fig. 3, and Fig. 6 is a transversesectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 3.

My improved attachment is mainly intended for application to banjos, butobviously is adapted for use with all similar string musicalinstruments.

In the practice of my invention I employ a suitable block or bodyportion A, provided with transversely arranged tuning pegs, 1,

2 and 3, more or less, and horizontally disposed tuning pegs 4, 5, 6 and7, more or The pegs 1, 2 and 3 are arranged in suitable sockets B in theattachment bodyportion A, see Fig. 2, with their upper ends projectingand provided with transverse perforations O for connection of theaddiwell understood.

The pegs 4 and 5 are seated in suitable sockets extending transverselyinto the body ortion A, and the I claim pegs 6 and 7 are simi arlyarranged, but made extending into transverse sockets B, in the neck-C ofthe banjo, as will be undertional banjo strings.

To the upper or smaller end of the bodyportion A, on its inner edge, Isecure a metal plate D, through which the pegs 6 and 7 are entered, andextended into the banjo neck, substantially as shown by Fig. 3.

The pegs 6 and 7 are constructed with a stem E, having one endrotatively secured in a bushing F, and the latter is constructed with arib G whereby to prevent the bushing from turning in its socket B.

II denotes a suitable head secured on the outer end of the key-stem E,by means of a set-screw I entered through the head H and extended into asuitable axial screw-threaded socket in the adjacent end of thepeg-stem, as will be understood upon reference to Fig. 3 of my drawing.A suitable spacing collar J is arranged on the stem E, between the headH and the bushing F, see Fig. 3.

Upon reference to Fig. 5 of my drawing it view of the attachment. Fig. 3is a broken will be noticed that the openings through the plate D areconstructed with key-slots K, to permit passage of the ribs G, on thebushand the upper key on the attachment. Fig. ings when the latter areentered into their sockets, and at the same time, have the open- Fig. 5is a broken away ings snugly fit around the bushings.

In constructing the pegs 4, 5, 6 and 7, openings L are providedextending transversely through the collars J and peg-stems E, to providemeans for attaching the addi- The body-portion of the attachment isarranged on one side of the banjo neck and secured by transverselyentered screws M. Screws N, see Fig. 4, are seated into the side of thebody portion, next to the banjo neck, the same being designed to restagainst the under curved portion of said neck, and whereby throughsimple adjustment of the screws N, the attachment may be secured to theneck C by the screws M, supported level with the fret side of the banjoneck. I

According to my invention, the auxiliary strings are tuned to the pitchof the notes which are usually obtained by fretting the tional strings,in a manner common and ordinary strings. I/Vhen the attachment is inplace, the banjo is played with one hand only without using the frets.

1. An attachment for stringed instruments, comprising a body-portion,and sepa rate sets of string pegs on the body-portion,

one set of said pegs projecting horizontally or sidewise, from thebody-portiom and the other set of said pegs pro ecting from theunderside of the body-portion, at an angle to the aforesaid set of pegs.

2. An attachment for stringed instruments, comprising a body-portion,means for securing the body-portion in place, adjustable means wherebythe body-portion may be secured with its top side in level plane withthe upper side of its support, and two sets of string pegs on thebody-portion, one set of said pegs projecting horizontally or sidewisefrom the body-portion, and the other set of said pegs pro ecting fromthe under side of the body portion, at an angle to the aforesaid set ofpegs.

3. A banjo attachment comprising a bodyportion, means for securing thebody-portion to the banjo neck, adjustable means whereby the outer sideof the body-portion may be su ported level with the plane of the fretsire of said neck, and separate sets of string pegs on the body-portion,one set of pegs projecting horizontally or sidewise, from thebody-portion, and the other set of said pegs projecting from the underside of the body-portion, at an angle to the aforesaid set of pegs.

4. The combination with'a banjo, of an attachment comprising a bodyportion, means whereby to support its top side level with the plane ofthe fret-side of the banjo neck, and separate sets of string pegs on thebody-portion, one set of said pegs projecting horizontally or sidewise,from the body-portion, and the other set of said pegs projecting fromthe under side of the body-portion, at an angle to the aforesaid set ofsaid pegs.

, 5. The combination in a banjo attachment, of a body-portionconstructed with a reduced or smaller outer end, securing means, twosets of string-pegs on the body-portion, one set of said pegs projectingat an angle to .the other set of pegs, a plate on the side edge of thebody-portion adjacent to the banjo neck, the plate constructed withopenings therethrou h, and the banjo -neck constructed with sockets,said openings in the plate and sockets in the banjo-neck adapted toreceive the string-pegs, bushings rotatably secured on the inner ends ofthe string-pegs, and means adapted to hold the bushings against'turningaction.

ELWIN J. BABBITT. Witnesses:

W. A. SEEGMILLER, P. J CHALLAWAY.

